Devices are well known which include a spring for biasing a door, hinged flap or the like, into a closed position, and at the same time make use of a viscous fluid to damp movement of the door. The dampening effect may be achieved by using the fluid to resist frictionally the movement of components within the device, or alternatively by causing the fluid to pass from one chamber to another through a restricted opening as the volumes of the chambers are varied, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,326 issued to Joseph J. Gaysowski, Mar. 14, 1972 and entitled "ELECTROMECHANICAL DOOR HOLDER CLOSER".
The known devices have generally been large in size because of the need to provide space for the fluid chambers and for the spring. Gaysowski, for instance, teaches a large external spring.
The present invention has for its object the provision of a device which can be given compact proportions and may form part of the hinge itself.